More petrol voucher suck

[Lace Neil Singer]

I hate these damn things. They produce more SCs than anything else, and when we stop doing them, people are constantly bugging us about the vouchers. Yes, they are good; they give you 5p off per litre and you get one if you spend £50 or over at Orange Bag supermarket. However, that is no reason to turn into a complete arsehole.

This couple came in yesterday. They were nice enough at first, if mildly condescending but it was after the transaction was finished, that they turned into SCs. Note: We are NOT required to remind people about their voucher, only the store card.

SC1 is the husband, SC2 is the wife. Brackets are actions, red italics and smilies are my thoughts, not spoken out loud.



Me: (finishing transaction) Thanks, bye!
(SCs leave, then a couple of minutes later, return.)
SC1: We forgot to give you our voucher, can we use it now?
Me: I'm sorry, but once the transaction is completed, I can't put the voucher thru.
SC2: You mean, you don't know how to put it thru?
Me: grrrr! No, I mean that it's not possible to put your voucher thru after the transaction is finished.
SC2: I don't believe this! Why didn't you tell me before? Was it too much to ask that you remind me to use my voucher?
Me: How was I supposed to know you had one? Who do I look like, Mystic Meg? I'm sorry, but we can't put the voucher thru after a transaction is completed. I also don't have the authority to override it. You'll have to speak to the manager.
SC1: Well then, don't just sit there, go and get him!
Me: The manager isn't in at the moment; however, she will be in tomorrow.
SC2: I suppose we'll have to do that, then.


They leave. I've already left a note for my manager, explaining the situation. We've been angling for signs about these vouchers for ages; telling people that they have to produce the stupid things before they pay, not after. -.- By the way, the vouchers have fourteen days on them, so it's not like if you forget once, you've had it.

[fireheart]

Try going from the opposite end.

I get people who want to split their purchases more than once for petrol vouchers. I hate doing this for the following reasons:

1) It holds up my line, therefore meaning I have to call for backup: if there aren't enough people around, they have to pull people from other departments, meaning that if they need a price check on something, the wait is LONGER. Ditto if I need a supervisor for anything. (thankfully about 80% of the checkout staff are sup-trained)

2) They do this EVERY week. This is more for those who split it more than maybe 4 times-why do you need ELEVEN petrol vouchers? You can't stack them.

3) The people who DO split them act like EW's. Which makes me even more pissed afterwards.

4) The rule is not enforced consistently between staff members. I'm trying to get this rule enforced.

5) The vouchers expire in 28 days. You don't get much benefit out of them unless you're paying for about maybe $20 or more of fuel. (at least down my end.)

Just a quick note to prevent flaming: I'm in AUSTRALIA. All pricing is in Aussie dollars, we use kilometres for distance and fuel economy and litres for tanks. Unleaded fuel at the moment is between $1.05-$1.40 depending on your area, time of day, actual day etc. Prenium is more than that...diesel is somewhere around the $1.50 mark I THINK...autogas/LPG has nearly always been under a dollar.

[Lace Neil Singer]

People do that at Orange Bag as well; I used to get so pissed off when I worked on the checkout at people bitching about only getting one voucher for their shop when they'd spent £100. And I agree; why do you need several? You can only use one at a time and they'll go out of date before you can use them all.

[akaScooby]

I've been on both sides of this crap - used to work for the supermarket now work for the servo.

I used to hate splitting transactions and would try to refuse but (name of company removed) management are the epitome of bend over and take it from the customer.

Thankfully the servo management will almost always take the employee's side when it comes to the "sorry but you should have given the card/voucher when you got to the counter bot after I gave your change" situation.

And I love telling the SCs that we are not the same company as the supermarket, although if they say they're complaining to the supermarket head-office I keep my mouth shut

[bainsidhe]

SC2: I don't believe this! Why didn't you tell me before? Was it too much to ask that you remind me to use my voucher?

Reply: Well why didn't you give me your voucher before? Or was I just supposed to guess?

Wait a minute, that wouldn't be considered rude, right? It being a public service announcement and all.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I wonder if they also need to be reminded to breathe, eat, put their clothes on... XD

[depechemodefan]

I wonder if they also need to be reminded to breathe, eat, put their clothes on... XD

It's your job to remind them to buckle up, don't drive without the lights on, don't speed, don'[t run red lights...If you don't it's your fault bad things happen to them!